Prospect Highway

Route

The highway takes its name from the suburb Prospect; like many highways in the Sydney area, it was formed by linking a series of local roads.

Prospect Highway starts at the intersection of Old Windsor Road and the eastbound ramps to M2 Hills Motorway as Abbotts Road and heads in a westerly direction as a four-lane, dual-carriageway road, where after a short distance it widens to a six-lane road and intersects with and changes name to Seven Hills Road, before reaching the intersection with Station Road and Johnson Avenue nearly immediately afterwards, where it changes name again to Prospect Highway. It narrows back to a four-lane road once it crosses the Main Western railway line, until it meets Seven Hills Road South, where it narrows to a single-carriageway road and heads west, changing name again to Wall Park Avenue. It widens again to a dual-carriageway road just before it intersects with and changes name to Blacktown Road, heading south and narrowing to a dual-lane, single carriageway road south of the intersection with Bungarribee Road. Blacktown Road splits off southeast after a short distance: the name changes again back to Prospect Highway and continues south through Prospect until it crosses over both Great Western Highway and M4 Western Motorway, continuing south until it eventually terminates at the intersection with the Liverpool–Parramatta Transitway in Pemulwuy; the road continues southwards as Widemere Road.

History

Constructed in 1924, the Widemere Quarry Line, which was connected to the Main Southern Line at Fairfield railway station, crossed what is now Prospect Highway.

The passing of the Main Roads Act of 1924 through the Parliament of New South Wales provided for the declaration of Main Roads, roads partially funded by the State government through the Main Roads Board (MRB). With the subsequent passing of the Main Roads (Amendment) Act of 1929 to provide for additional declarations of State Highways and Trunk Roads, the Department of Main Roads (having succeeded the MRB in 1932) declared Main Road 644 along Prospect Highway, from the intersection with Old Windsor Road in Seven Hills, along Abbott and Seven Hills Roads, Wall Park Avenue, Blacktown Road and Church Lane to the interchange with M4 Western Motorway in Prospect, on 26 August 1988.

Church Lane, from Great Western Highway to Blacktown Road through Prospect, was officially renamed Prospect Highway on 5 April 1991. Later, the section of Seven Hills Road, between the intersection with Station Road and Johnson Avenue, and the intersection with Wall Park Avenue in Seven Hills, was also officially renamed Prospect Highway on 27 November 1992.

The passing of the Roads Act of 1993 updated road classifications and the way they could be declared within New South Wales. Under this act, Prospect Highway retains its declaration as Main Road 644.

The route was allocated State Route 63 in 1992, between Blacktown and Prospect, but was removed a few years later in 1998. The entire route is currently unallocated.

Proposals

In 2015, the NSW Government Roads & Maritime Services commenced planning an upgrade of a 3.6 km section of the highway between Reservoir Road in Prospect to St Martins Crescent in Blacktown.

Exits and interchanges

South-eastbound entrance to and north west bound exit from motorway only Western end of Abbott Road, southeastern end of Seven Hills Road Station Road (south) Leabons Lane (east)

References

References

1. {{google maps. link
2. (26 August 1988). "State Roads Act". National Library of Australia.
3. "Map of Blacktown Road, NSW". Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia.
4. Karina Hall. (2009). "The Widemere Quarry Branch".
5. Stephen Gapps. (2009). "Cabrogal to Fairfield City: A History of a Multicultural Community". Fairfield City Council.
6. [http://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/nsw/num_act/mra1924n24133/ State of New South Wales, ''An Act to provide for the better construction, maintenance, and financing of main roads; to provide for developmental roads; to constitute a Main Roads Board''] {{webarchive. link. (11 August 2022 10 November 1924)
7. [https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/pdf/asmade/act-1929-15 State of New South Wales, ''An Act to amend the Main Roads Act, 1924-1927; to confer certain further powers upon the MRB; to amend the Local Government Act, 1919, and certain other Acts; to validate certain payments and other matters; and for purposes connected therewith.''] {{webarchive. link. (12 August 2022 8 April 1929)
8. (5 April 1991). "Local Government Act, 1919". National Library of Australia.
9. (27 November 1992). "Local Government Act, 1919". National Library of Australia.
10. [https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-1993-033 State of New South Wales, ''An Act to make provision with respect to the roads of New South Wales; to repeal the State Roads Act 1986, the Crown and Other Roads Act 1990 and certain other enactments; and for other purposes.''] {{webarchive. link. (11 August 2022 10 November 1924)
11. [[Transport for NSW]]. (August 2022). "Schedule of Classified Roads and Unclassified Regional Roads". Government of New South Wales.
12. "Prospect Highway upgrade". Government of New South Wales.
13. (4 May 2015). "Detailed design contract awarded for Prospect Highway upgrade". Government of New South Wales.
14. Oxford, Jessica. (20 April 2016). "Call to upgrade Blacktown bottlenecks and end traffic chaos". Blacktown Advocate.